Ynysybwl

Ynysybwl (Ynys-y-bŵl ənɪsəˈbʊl) is a village in Cwm Clydach in Wales. It is situated in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, roughly north-north-west of Cardiff, north of Pontypridd and south of Merthyr Tydfil, and forms part of the community of Ynysybwl and Coed-y-Cwm. Cwm Clydach is flanked by the Rhondda and Cynon Valleys. The market town of Pontypridd lies to the south at the meeting point of the three valleys; and to the north lies the large Llanwynno forestry. Before the local government reforms of 1996 Ynysybwl was in the Cynon Valley district of Morgannwg Ganol, and the area is historically a part of Glamorgan (Morgannwg). There is uncertainty over the meaning of the name of the village. Ynys means 'island' or 'river meadow' in Welsh and probably refers to such a meadow on the banks of the Clydach stream. The 'bŵl' element is more difficult. Some theories include 'bowl/ball' [see 'bŵl' GPC] possibly a reference to the shape of the river-meadow or to a handball game played locally). Locally, the village is often referred to as just "Bwl" or "The Bwl". Ynysybwl is located in the centre of the Llanwynno parish, at the point where the stream known as Y Ffrwd flows into the Nant Clydach. Then a collection of small local farms and meadows in a quiet and completely rural valley, at the 1841 census around 200 people lived in the village and surrounding farms. Ynysybwl was the name of an electoral ward, created in 1898 for elections to Mountain Ash Urban District Council. Since 1995 Ynysybwl has been an electoral ward to Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council, electing one county borough councillor. Following a local government boundary review, the number of councillors was increased to two, effective from the 2022 Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council election. At the lowest tier of local government, Ynysybwl is represented by Ynysybwl & Coed-y-Cwm Community Council. The rich seams of coal in the Mynachdy level that lie beneath the surface had thus far only been tapped to the amount required to supply these local farms.